An illuminating tour through the native sea creatures of Aotearoa, by the bestselling author of The Meaning of Trees.

Secrets of the Sea is a fascinating introduction to New Zealand's fish and shellfish, weaving together history, biology and culture to reveal how these unique and intriguing creatures have shaped our lives. Ranging from sandy shores and rocky reefs to the open ocean and its cavernous depths, Robert Vennell celebrates the magic and mystery of the world beneath the waves.​
'Steeped in history and tradition, Secrets of the Sea is a standout ... gorgeously illustrated, and with stunning photography, Secrets of the Sea is a resplendent unravelling of the mysteries surrounding some of the incredible inhabitants of Aotearoa waters' Jo Lucre, Wellington Regional News
'Secrets of the Sea is a treasury of interesting facts, beautiful photography and remarkable prose. Beyond the luscious illustrations is a perfect blend of science, history and mātauranga Māori that gives the text depth and relevance and reveals in fascinating (and urgent) ways the interconnectedness of the human and extra human world. Visually compelling and hugely accessible, this impactful book will delight the marine biologist, sea aficionado and general reader alike.' New Zealand Book Awards Trust, Ockham shortlist for Best Illustrated Book of Nonfiction

First up: this is absolutely not a guide to life. I've done some impressive stuff, but I've also slept on the floor of an old Greek man's house and lost my dignity in the Brunei jungle. I say yes to everything this life has to offer - I'm from the 'women can have it all' club - and, boy, have I got the stories to show for it. From surf-lifesaving to a hungover Army deployment, being broke with a gum infection in Europe, spooning Richie McCaw on a mountain, improvising make-up for Paul Holmes, running my first ultra-marathon and reinventing myself after redundancy: every wild, brilliant and hilarious experience has taught me something new. Whether it's how not to care about being judged, how to fake it till you make it, how to throw yourself into the unknown or how to push through the pit of despair, I've come to love that we are all works in progress. If I fail from time to time, that's okay too. Open the book of this open book (me). I want to show you the raw, the real and the vulnerable of a full-volume life and how the greatest moments - or at the very least the greatest yarns - come about by just giving it a crack.

​

For much of his life, Mike McRoberts felt burdened by not knowing his own language - te reo Māori. Growing up at a time when te reo was scarcely spoken in daily conversations, and within a mixed-race family with little connection to Māoritanga, his experience mirrored that of many other New Zealanders of his generation. In later years, as a journalist and presenter of Newshub's six o'clock news, his confident television persona masked the anxiety he felt greeting viewers with the simple phrase, 'Kia ora, good evening'. Not being comfortable speaking his language was a source of shame - a shame that ironically kept him from starting his te reo journey sooner. In Speaking My Language / Kōrero i Tōku Reo Mike shares his story of that journey to speak te reo Māori and reclaim his identity. His book is an invitation for all New Zealanders to take the first step to understand why speaking our Māori language and treasuring our culture matters.

From a childhood in rural Piopio, Jenny-May Coffin grew up to achieve international success as a Silver Fern and then began a stellar career on radio and television as a sports commentator and morning presenter. But outward success can often mask inner uncertainty, and Jenny-May lost her grip on the confidence her ten-year-old self possessed. The ups and downs of a full life, with tragedies as well as triumphs, left her in need of renewal. Here is the story of how she found self-confidence again, reclaiming strength and identity through her connections to te ao Māori, with the support of her husband, Dean Clarkson, and her close ties to her parents and siblings.

​

FREEDOM’s EDGE - This true story is a personal account of a young woman photographer’s journey and imprisonment in Afghanistan, at a pivotal moment in history— A rebel, artist, eager to see beyond the shores of her home - New Zealand- , at the beginning of young Victoria’s journey into Afghanistan in February of 1978, the country – a breath-taking array of mountains, valleys, deserts, and home to a peoples' whose cultural, religious footprint dated back 50,000 years BC – was a mecca for travelers of every ilk. Ruled by the dictator, Daoud, the Country was seemingly at peace and prospering. Had Daoud upheld the maxim of his exiled cousin, King Zahir Shah (and that of predecessors) of ‘the right to freedom and dignity for every individual’– two hundred years of Afghanistan’s internal peace might have continued, and Afghanistan retained its position as one of the world’s MUST VISIT cultural and world-wonder destinations to this day. As it was, the Dictator suppressed democratic freedoms, while playing dice with two ambitious Superpowers -the USSR and USA – eager to find a chink in Afghanistan’s amour. This is the subjective story of a 'sensitive's' extraordinary experience in a country where (quote) 'legend speaks of a concentration of knowledge or mystery held within its land and peoples'...